The man who was shot and killed Friday night after cutting off a Clay County deputy sheriff's hand was considered a "high risk" suspect by authorities because he was involved in a domestic violence incident about a week before.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office identified the dead man as Curtis Watts, 48. Watts was shot Friday after he attacked a team of deputies led by Sgt. Jason Freeman and cut off Freeman's right hand with an ax.

Freeman subsequently underwent two operations at UAB Hospital to re-attach his severed hand. Sheriff's Capt. Steve Cotney said Freeman had a pulse in all five fingers of the re-attached hand late Sunday afternoon.

"He is doing well, but a long-term prognosis is undetermined," the sheriff's office said in a news release.

Clay County is a largely rural segment in east Alabama. According to the press release, the incident involving Watts and Freeman began about 9:30 p.m. Friday, when a special response team went to Watts' cabin to serve him with a warrant.

"Sheriff Jean Alexander had deemed this to be a high risk warrant due to a previous domestic violence call responded to by other Clay County deputies .¤.¤. on Sept. 15," the release stated. Watts was armed with a high-powered rifle, and a deputy used a Taser and the help of other officers to arrest him. Watts subsequently was released on bond.

On Friday, according to the sheriff's office, one of Watts' family members signed a new arrest warrant against him and "obtained a protection from abuse order."

When the special response team approached Watts' cabin that night, he confronted them with a bush ax and started swinging, the sheriff's office said.

Freeman, the team leader, used his Taser on Watts, the sheriff's office said, but Watts kept coming and in a series of swings cut off Freeman's hand.

Another team member shot Watts to protect Freeman, the sheriff's office said.